Opinions & Interviews
Lukashenko: Belarus has more than enough potatoes
KIROVSK DISTRICT, 28 August (BelTA) – Belarusians should know that the country has a sufficient supply of potatoes, Belarusian President Aleksandr Lukashenko said at a meeting to discuss pressing issues in the development of potato farming in Belarus, BelTA has learned.
Addressing the participants, the president noted that the meeting is primarily symbolic. He recalled that in the past, the topic of potatoes gained public resonance, including in the mass media.
“Thank God, we don't have a hot war in the country. But the information war is heating up. If we don’t address these issues [referring to fake news], it will be bad for our future. That is why our people must know that, as usual, there are enough potatoes in Belarus. We have more than enough for this year and the next one until the new harvest,” the president said.
The head of state pointed out that early results of the potato harvest show good yields. Both farmers and heads of agricultural enterprises report excellent quality and steady demand. “So, as we planned in the spring, by planting 4,500 additional hectares of potatoes, we were right on target, as the saying goes,” Aleksandr Lukashenko noted.
The president described potatoes as a symbol of Belarus, elevated to the status of a national product. He recalled that during the Soviet era, Belarusians were jokingly called “bulbashi” (potato-eaters), even though the republic ranked only third in potato production, behind the Russian SFSR and the Ukrainian SSR, both of which had more arable land.
“We consumed and still consume more [potatoes] than anyone, not only in the post‑Soviet space but in the world: 160 kilograms per person, sometimes even 180. No wonder the book ‘500 Potato Dishes’ was a staple in every Belarusian household and was passed down through generations,” the head of state said.
“Specialists assure me that this year, the public sector will harvest one million tonnes of potatoes, which will be one‑third more than last year. Together with household production, that will amount to 3.3 million tonnes,” the president emphasized. “This will allow us not only to fully meet domestic needs but also to export.”
Aleksandr Lukashenko said it is quite natural that Belarusians, with their great love for potatoes, have always known how to cultivate them, both in agricultural enterprises and in private household plots. “To this day, if a caring and responsible person has a small plot of land or a house in the countryside, they will always plant at least one or two rows of potatoes. But some of us have become so spoiled that it’s hard to even bend down to plant a basket of potatoes in spring in order to ensure we have our daily bread at least in late summer and autumn,” he added.
In this regard, the president is no exception. Aleksandr Lukashenko grows potato varieties developed in Belarus and even shares them with foreign colleagues. It began as a joke from Russian President Vladimir Putin. “I asked him what he wanted for a gift. He said potatoes. So I delivered four bags straight to the Kremlin, which was unexpected,” the head of state recalled.
During a working trip to Kirovsk District, Mogilev Oblast, the Belarusian leader visited the Rassvet agricultural enterprise named after K.P. Orlovsky to observe the potato harvest. He also visited a potato storage facility where he reviewed the processing and storage techniques used.
“There’s absolutely nothing complicated about storing potatoes. The only issue is in people’s minds. Everything in life, whether it's illnesses or good deeds, starts in the mind. This is also true for us, officials. There is no problem in building the necessary number of storage facilities in Belarus and properly preserving not only potatoes, but the entire set of vegetables needed for borshch,” Aleksandr Lukashenko concluded.
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